The Rose of Tralee

Written in the nineteenth century, ‘The Rose of Tralee’ is a famous Irish ballad about a woman who was ‘lovely and fair’, a description that has come to embody the features of all the beautiful young colleens in Ireland.  Every year young ladies from Irish communities throughout the world compete for the distinction of being selected ‘The Rose’, culminating in the crowning of the winner at the Rose of Tralee Festival held here in August.  Because of its familiar name, Tralee was one of the places I was anxious to visit on my trek through Ireland.  For a $25 ticket I took the two hour ride from Limerick on my favorite Bus Eireann, arriving in Tralee around noon on a Saturday in early June.  But once again, the town would have to wait, so that I could catch the bus out to see the Dingle Peninsula first.

The Dingle Peninsula and Dingle Town

As a popular tourist destination the Dingle Peninsula is catching up with the Iveragh Peninsula, its next door neighbor to the south, which boasts the famous Ring of Kerry.  Also located in County Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula is named for Dingle Town which is a picturesque little village on the Dingle River where it flows into a sheltered harbor on the Atlantic Coast.  While Dingle Town has a long history as a fishing port and still has traces of the town walls that once surrounded it, today’s visitors will be particularly impressed with the narrow, hilly streets lined with brightly painted shops, pubs and houses.  A short walk up the hill behind the town will reward you with a great view of the surrounding countryside and the harbor below which is teeming with fishing boats.  You can take a boat ride out to the mouth of the Dingle Harbor where Fungie the world famous bottlenose dolphin has greeted visitors since 1984 and perhaps even take a swim with him.  If time permits you can also take the scenic drive out towards Dunmore Head, the western most point in Ireland.  The round trip bus fare from Tralee to Dingle Town cost about $22 and took an hour each way.  But you’ll be wishing it took longer so you’d have more time to enjoy the breathtaking scenery along the way.

Tralee

The weather was somewhat dreary when I got back to Tralee in the early evening to set out on my walking tour of this pretty little town.  In addition to being a great jumping off place for the Dingle Peninsula (and the Ring of Kerry, as well), Tralee was full of friendly people and interesting things to see.  It was quite pleasant to walk along the wide streets lined with Georgian edifices and to go window shopping on The Mall and to stroll through the Town Square filled with the Irish music flowing from the nearby pubs.  Along the way I visited St. John’s Catholic Church and the Pikeman Memorial which commemorates the 1798 Irish Rebellion.  Rounding out the evening I took the long walk along the ship canal to check out the locks and to see the Blennerville Windmill, the oldest one in Ireland still in operation.  One of the most beautiful spots in Tralee is the town park which is filled with the town’s namesake roses and many other colorful flowers.  Right across from the town park is the Kerry County Museum which has the Tralee Tourist Office in the basement.  I knew that timing would be critical on the next day of my trip so the helpful staff there booked my accommodations in Killarney and got me a seat on the Ring of Kerry tour bus a day in advance.

Finnegan’s Hostel

After checking several hotels on my short walk from the bus station into town (and finding them either full or too expensive!) I happened upon Finnegan’s Hostel right in the heart of Tralee.  With a name like Finnegan’s it couldn’t get much more Irish and this was without a doubt the best bargain on my trip to Ireland!  For $35 I got a great room with private bath and breakfast included!  While it is more like a budget bed and breakfast it does have dormitory rooms in addition to twin and double rooms.  There are 40 beds in all and each room has an en suite bathroom.  Located right across from the rose gardens in the town park this Georgian town house was completed in 1826 and each room is named after a famous Irish author.  Finnegan’s Hostel was clean, safe, comfortable, a good value and conveniently located…all criteria that must be met to make it onto our list of Awesome Accommodations.  The friendly staff provided a lot of good information about what to see in Tralee and how to get out to Dingle Town.  The facility also features bike rental, laundry service and an elegant restaurant in the cellar.  This would be a great place for group accommodations, but regardless of your travel needs, this is where you will want to stay during your visit to Tralee.